Who's Who in Medieval History
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
The son of Edward II and grandson of Edward I, King Edward III, also known as Edward of Windsor, had a fairly successful reign that lasted fifty years. Taking the throne at the age of 15 upon his father's forced abdication, he shook off his dependence on his mother and her lover, Roger Mortimer, by having Mortimer executed in 1330.
Edward focused largely on military matters in Scotland and in France, where his pursuit of the crown through his mother's line contributed to the start of the Hundred Years' War. He had a very good relationship with the nobility, who profited from his military exploits, and was generally well-liked by the populace, as well. Edward's court was a prime example of the chivalric values of high medieval society, and he created Britain's highest knightly order, the Order of the Garter.
The king had five sons, but his eldest, Edward the Black Prince, predeceased him, so the crown passed to Prince Edward's son Richard. The families of the remaining sons would eventually go to war over the succession in what came to be known as the Wars of the Roses.
Encyclopedia Article about Edward III
Portrait of Edward III
Edward III on the Web
Edward III in Print
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Edward III: Monarch of Chivalry
by Bryan Bevan
War Cruel and Sharp: English Strategy under Edward III, 1327-1360
(Warfare in History, No. 11)
by Clifford J. Rogers
Medieval & Renaissance Monarchs of England
Medieval Britain
The Hundred Years' War
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